Essential Listening: Pride 2023 Special
We’re back with Essential Listening only, this time, we’re doing a Pride 2023 special! Check out some of the best music from LGBTQIA+ artists released this year.
Date published: 19th Jun 2023
If you regularly tune into Essential Listening, you’ll know every week we update our Spotify playlists to add the best new tracks with dedicated playlists for house and techno, drum and bass and jungle, indie and alternative, and hip-hop and jazz.
But seeing as it’s Pride month, we had to take a moment to spotlight some of the countless LGBTQIA+ artists who’ve released some stunning tunes in 2023. Our regular playlists have been updated as usual, but now it’s time to celebrate some queer talent!
This week, we’ve got one big multi-genre playlist full of house, techno, indie, drum and bass, hip-hop, rock, jazz, R&B, and more. We've got tracks from Omar Apollo, Tyler, Janelle Monae, Christine and the Queens, Arlo Parks, Kaytranada, and so many more. Give it a listen below!
Essential Listening: Pride 2023 Special
Stand - Honey Dijon ft. Cor.Ece
The undisputed queen of house dropped Stand with Cor.Ece in April this year coloured with laidback piano chords and uplifting horns at the back of the track.
Soulful and poetic, the track took influence from the tracks Honey loved when she was younger but with extra depth thanks to the warmth radiating from Cor.Ece’s vocals. The iconic producer, who also played a key role in some tracks from Beyonce’s Renaissance, said, “It’s about standing up for your belief system,” with lyrics clearly referencing protest.
Never before has a protest song been so danceable and sounded so uplifting.
Get tickets to see Honey Dijon live here:
Honey Dijon & Special Guests | Saturday 22nd July 2023 | Propyard in Bristol
Leech - Dream Wife
Taken from their June 2023 album, Social Lubrication, Leech sees Dream Wife do what they do best - blending an array of genres to create something uniquely and undeniably them.
Revisiting a topic they're becoming known for addressing, Leech features plenty of ruthless lyrics such as, "Ya boys gonna let the girls play? Or are they merely ornaments on display?" and "What she stands for, what she's made, her strength. You don't deserve her."
Always unapologetically themselves and never afraid to criticise the world over fierce instrumentals, Dream Wife are only going to get bigger and bigger. And we're more than ready for it.
Get tickets to see Dream Wife live here:
Dream Wife | Thursday 5th October 2023 | New Century in Manchester
Dream Wife | Friday 6th October 2023 | The Castle And Falcon in Birmingham
LiVE-O - HAAi Remix
If intense and sometimes experimental techno is your vibe, it's about time you checked out HAAi's discography.
With chopped vocals that sound how strobes look that, in a nutshell, deliver the message “ACAB” over a deep, thumpy kick drum, HAAi has nailed an underground classic. Released on the 8th of June this year, we reckon we’ll be hearing plenty of this track in the wildest tiny venues. If the rest of the world manages to catch up.
While remaining a deep techno track, it’s just past the halfway mark that the track takes a life of its own, with ethereal, glitchy synths that genuinely make you feel like you’re ascending to the sky. Stunning.
Get tickets to see HAAi live here:
We Are FSTVL (ft. HAAi) | Friday 25th - Monday 28th August 2023 | Damyns Hall Aerodrome in Upminster
Fancy getting out and celebrating Pride? Click or tap here to find LGBTQIA+ events across the UK.
Make sure to follow our Essential Listening playlists to discover the best new tracks released each week, as curated by the Skiddle team.
Check out our What's On Guide to discover more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.
Header image credit: Honey Dijon / Facebook.com